Felipe de Borbón, gave to number one of the world of tennis, Rafael Nadal the Prize Principe de Asturias de los Deportes 2008, in ceremony realized the last Friday in the Theater Campoamor de Oviedo.
“He has gained for always the admiration of all inside and outside Spain by their calm patriotism, by his strength before the difficulty, his triumphs, his humility and its example”, those were the words of the heir of the Spanish crown when giving the recognition to the tennis player.
In addition he added, “Nadal is, besides a brilliant tennis player, a great human being, a thanked young person. He never stops emphasizing with the deepest affection the fundamental influence in his life of his family, his grandparents, his parents, his uncles, his Toni uncle, that is much more that his trainer. They have known to guide him by the always difficult footpath of the success, being animated him to go of the hand of the authenticity, the simplicity and the greatness of spirit”.
On the other hand, Rafael Nadal indicated, “already I have said in several occasions that, outside the tracks, for me the Prize Principe de Asturias is the most important prize that they can give me. I am been very thankful with those who have proposed to me and voted to secure this prize”, affirmed the tennis player.
Nadal received in the voting the endorsement of 18 of the 24 members of the jury, surpassing to the American swimmer Michael Phelps, the Russian Yelena Isinbayeva and the jamaiquino Usain Volt.
The past year the Prize Principe de Asturias de los Deportes was granted to the German pilot Michael Schumacher and, from his first edition, in 1987, has been granted sportsmen of the stature of Sebastian Coe, Severiano Crossbowmen, Serguei Bubka, Hassiba Boulmerka, Lance Armstrong, Hicham El Guerrouj, Fernando Alonso and the Spanish selection of basketball, among others.